Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940045299961 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Chris Well |
| Publication date: | 09/23/2013 |
| Series: | Kansas City Blues , #3 |
| Sold by: | Smashwords |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| File size: | 259 KB |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Tribulation House
4.8 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
5 reviews.
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I first became acquainted with Chris Well's novels when I picked up his debut release, Forgiving Solomon Long, in a store. It was a crime novel with a Christian message. I thought, this ought to be interesting. I love writers that think outside the box. Who would've ever dreamed you could combine Godfathers with Christ? I read that debut novel and have been hooked ever since.Sometime back I started hearing about his 2007 release Tribulation House. I knew this would be a novel I didn't want to miss. Do not let the title fool you. This is no LaHaye/Jenkins end-times tale. Far from it. This is a tale about the choices we make and their consequences.Mark Hogan has a problem. He has everything anyone could ever want. A great job. A great family. A position of some esteem at his local church. The only thing missing is a boat. Mark doesn't want just any boat. Oh, no. He wants the more-expensive-than-some-cars kind of boat. The kind most of us would need to make a living with to justify the purchase of this kind of boat. Add to that the fact that his pastor, Reverend Daniel Glory, has just made public his assertion that Jesus is returning on a certain date, at a certain time and Mark's anxiety over not having this boat ramps up in spades.As the time of Christ's return draws closer, the disciples of Reverend Glory begin to loose their focus. All over town people put a halt on their everyday lives believing the hour is upon them. Mark decides he must have a boat. So he does what any man would do in his shoes. He borrows the money to make the purchase. Why not? Jesus is returning. He won't have to pay it back. Right?Thing is, if Mark had known his Bible he'd have realized that even Jesus doesn't know the hour of his return. The day after Christ was to have returned, Mark finds himself owning a lot of cash. Did I forget to mention he borrowed the funds from the mob? Needless to say, they aren't interested in Mark's theology.Chris Well has given as all a cautionary tell. One that tells us to look for Christ's return. It could be at anytime. However, don't drop the ball on your life. One is born again to live for Christ, not shut down and wait for his return. He does this with great wit. Written in both First and Third Person I thought I'd be confused. However, Chris's mastery of his craft allows for a seamless transition. I got so wrapped up in this tale of quirky characters and messed up world views that I'd literally forget I was reading a novel. I rarely do that. When a author can pull that off, they are well worth paying attention to. We read fiction to be placed in another world, to escape our lives for a while. Chris Well has done that with Tribulation House. I can not recommend this book highly enough. Buy it! You'll love it!
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I first became acquainted with Chris Well's novels when I picked up his debut release, Forgiving Solomon Long, in a store. It was a crime novel with a Christian message. I thought, this ought to be interesting. I love writers that think outside the box. Who would've ever dreamed you could combine Godfathers with Christ? I read that debut novel and have been hooked ever since. Sometime back I started hearing about his 2007 release Tribulation House. I knew this would be a novel I didn't want to miss. Do not let the title fool you. This is no LaHaye/Jenkins end-times tale. Far from it. This is a tale about the choices we make and their consequences. Mark Hogan has a problem. He has everything anyone could ever want. A great job. A great family. A position of some esteem at his local church. The only thing missing is a boat. Mark doesn't want just any boat. Oh, no. He wants the more-expensive-than-some-cars kind of boat. The kind most of us would need to make a living with to justify the purchase of this kind of boat. Add to that the fact that his pastor, Reverend Daniel Glory, has just made public his assertion that Jesus is returning on a certain date, at a certain time and Mark's anxiety over not having this boat ramps up in spades. As the time of Christ's return draws closer, the disciples of Reverend Glory begin to loose their focus. All over town people put a halt on their everyday lives believing the hour is upon them. Mark decides he must have a boat. So he does what any man would do in his shoes. He borrows the money to make the purchase. Why not? Jesus is returning. He won't have to pay it back. Right? Thing is, if Mark had known his Bible he'd have realized that even Jesus doesn't know the hour of his return. The day after Christ was to have returned, Mark finds himself owning a lot of cash. Did I forget to mention he borrowed the funds from the mob? Needless to say, they aren't interested in Mark's theology. Chris Well has given as all a cautionary tell. One that tells us to look for Christ's return. It could be at anytime. However, don't drop the ball on your life. One is born again to live for Christ, not shut down and wait for his return. He does this with great wit. Written in both First and Third Person I thought I'd be confused. However, Chris's mastery of his craft allows for a seamless transition. I got so wrapped up in this tale of quirky characters and messed up world views that I'd literally forget I was reading a novel. I rarely do that. When a author can pull that off, they are well worth paying attention to. We read fiction to be placed in another world, to escape our lives for a while. Chris Well has done that with Tribulation House. I can not recommend this book highly enough. Buy it! You'll love it!
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Mark Hogan has killed his pastor Reverend Daniel Glory ¿ at least he thinks he has¿¿ Mark Hogan has it all ¿ great job, great family, great church and a position on the church board the only thing missing is a boat. He dreams, he searches boat lots and decides he has to have a 2008 Bayliner 192. When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the tribulation will happen on October 17th at 5:51 am and has even written a book ¿107 Reasons Jesus is Coming Back in 2007¿. Mark puts everything else in his life on hold as he knows this is it he has to have that boat even it means borrowing the money from the mob. But what does it matter if the rapture is coming he won¿t have to pay it back because he will be gone. But than Reverend Glory was wrong Jesus didn¿t come back! Now Mark is running for his life knowing the mob must be after him wanting their money, and the police must be after him after that argument with Reverend Glory and hitting him in the head. All because Mark blamed Reverend Glory for making him believe that the rapture was coming, this caused him to borrow money from the mob to buy that boat¿. His wife who knows nothing, has stopped calling to see if he¿s coming to the hospital to see his son who wrecked the brand new truck that he had to have to haul the brand new boat and can¿t pay for it either¿.. The mob¿s muscle Cleaver and Lamb have their hands full with orders from crime boss Massey to get Reverend Glory to move his church so he can have the land and leaning on candidates for the special election of City Council and keeping tabs on Cleaver¿s ex wife. It all falls into the hands of two detectives Charlie Pasch and Tom Griggs to solve the murder and stop the rash of crimes but are they somehow all connected? You¿ll find yourself at times laughing out loud at the antics between Cleaver and Lamb and the conversations between Charlie and Tom. And you¿ll have only sympathy for poor Charlie as he struggles to fit in at his church. The author Chris Well has done a great job with this page turner, his third suspense novel a definite 4 on the wow scale and a 5 on God moves scale that keeps you guessing till the very last page as to what will happen next and an ending that is totally unexpected. At times it seems there are too many characters but it all comes together as each one really has a part to play in this really good novel. Knowing this is the second novel with detectives Charlie and Tom makes this reviewer wonder what will be the next great suspense for these two detectives?
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This story is so different from Deliver Us from Evelyn. The only similarity were the mob thugs and some of the dry humor. Other than that, this story is stand-alone unique. It's also a bit psycho and pretty funny at times. The other night I couldn't resist and read a few pages (that I found particularly hilarious) to my husband while we lay in bed. In some ways this novel read like a funny whodunnit 'lad lit'. It's truly unique. The one thing I didn't care for was the main character's change of heart toward the end. After being so obviously clueless about a real relationship with Christ and having such a self-absorbed attitude, I had trouble buying the notion that he just got back on track. To me it seemed like he needed to be saved because his thinking didn't really line up with a believer's. Even one in a backslidden state. But that's just my opinion. Also, there seemed to be one too many points of view and some of them didn't seem necessary to me. But the innuendos were laughable and intriguing regarding his warped perceptive of Christianity and that provided some bonafide entertainment. Also on the positive side (for their are many great things about Tribulation House) this story is not at all dull, which is why I actually finished it. I loved the premise. I also enjoyed the author's unique use of POV -- how the main character seems like he is talking to the reader. I've never seen that approach used before in a novel. Pretty creative. The author is obviously a gifted storyteller. I could yell at him for leaving me hanging at the end, though. I definitely want to read the next book. I already love the premise and set up for the next story.
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Mark Hogan reflects on the steps that lead to his killing Reverend Daniel Glory. He thinks back and Mark realizes how good he had it with a great paying job that he liked a loving family who adored him and even the regard of the embers of The Last Church of God¿s Imminent Will where he is a key participant. In fact Mark had everything he desired except a 2008 Bayliner 192 boat.----------- When Reverend Glory announces the Rapture is coming on 17 October at 5:51 AM, Mark reacts as any American would that time is running out on him to buy the boat of his dreams. Like everyone else in town, Mark believes in the word of the Reverend so he borrows money from the mob knowing that he will never make remittance. However, one minor problem as just like Jesus, Reverend Glory does not know when God will start the Rapture. On 17 October after 5:51 AM has long past, Mark realizes he owes a lot of money to some dangerous individuals who plan to collect one way or another as they have their own end of days plan.--------------- Using humor and satire, Chris Well provides a powerful cautionary tale that warns readers to be careful with prophets (both genuine and false) as God would expect people to keep on living pious normal lives. The story line focuses mostly on Mark¿s reaction to the end of times, but also to a degree that of the townsfolk and the mob. Christian readers will appreciate this intelligent look at the end of times that never began as TRIBULATION HOUSE is a wonderful inspirational thriller.----------- Harriet Klausner
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